On Wednesday, downtown Seattle turned into an epicenter of jubilation as hundreds of thousands of fans in blue-and-green filled the streets to celebrate the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl victory. The victory parade became a citywide celebration after the team convincingly defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday, claiming its second championship title in franchise history.
Before dawn, devoted fans began staking out prime spots along the Fourth Avenue route. Some hauled couches found on the street, others climbed onto rooftops to secure a good view. By 6:45 a.m., there was no free space left at the barricades, and the sun was only beginning to rise above the horizon.
The festivities began at Lumen Field, which opened in 2002 and is not only the Seahawks' home but also that of the Seattle Sounders soccer club, as well as a key venue for concerts and exhibitions. Its downtown location near transit hubs makes it an important civic and economic center for the region. Lucky ticket holders witnessed a 35-minute ceremony featuring player appearances. The climax came with the opening of a giant keg of beverage, after which confetti rained down on the stadium and the champions boarded military trucks and double-decker buses prepared for the parade.
Around noon the parade officially launched at the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Olive Way. Bicycling police led the procession, followed by a boisterous brass band. The crowd roared louder at the sight of the team's dancers, Mayor Si-Tac Katy Wilson — whose role is tied to managing the suburb that houses the international airport — and the team mascot Blitz, an anthropomorphic sea hawk introduced in 1998 and now one of the club’s most recognizable symbols.
A real explosion of emotion came when coaches and players appeared on open vehicles. Head coach Mike Macdonald hoisted the NFC championship trophy overhead while filming cheering fans on his phone. Spotting a sign in the crowd with his now-famous phrase "We didn't care," which has become a symbol of the team's grit and self-belief since the 2010 playoff run, he smiled and began chanting the words with the fans.
Players actively engaged with the public: spraying champagne, giving high-fives, posing for selfies. Quarterback Sam Darnold emotionally greeted the crowd, and receiver Jackson Smith-Njigba said on live broadcast that he gives his heart to these devoted fans.
For many, the event was a family tradition. Twenty-year-old Amanda Frost attended the parade with her father back in 2014 after the Seahawks' first win, and she still keeps the commemorative blanket she bought then. After this latest victory she tearfully thanked her father for introducing her to "the best team in the world."
Four teenagers from Seattle schools showed ingenuity when they found a brown leather couch five blocks from the parade. They dragged it to the barricade at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Vine Street, creating a comfortable viewing spot. After the celebrations they planned to leave the couch for other lucky fans.
Throughout the parade blue and green confetti fell from the sky, carpeting the streets in celebration. One spectator noted with a smile that the cleanup crews would be working on it for years. The celebration ran smoothly, and Seattle's public transit system, which increased the frequency of buses and light rail trains, handled the huge influx of people successfully. For a day the city immersed itself in an atmosphere of unity and sporting joy.
Based on: Hundreds of thousands turn out for Seahawks Super Bowl celebration